Kids are often told to drink their milk for stronger bones, but what about postmenopausal women? Osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become thin, brittle and susceptible to breaks, is common in women who have gone through menopause. About 30 percent of postmenopausal women in the U.S. have osteoporosis and 40 percent of them will suffer at least one fracture.

There are some risk factors for osteoporosis you can&rsquo;t control, like gender, age, family history and body frame. But there&rsquo;s at least one risk factor you can control: your diet.

What bones need

Our bones serve as scaffolding for our bodies. Because the 206 bones in the body have to fight gravity every day, they&rsquo;re under constant stress &ndash; and constantly undergoing repair. In fact, bone cells have such a high turnover rate, the skeleton of a young person will have completely different cells every four years.

Eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium, can help improve bone strength and density and reduce the effects of osteoporosis later in life. Bone density, a measurement of how much calcium and other minerals are in your bones, usually peaks in your 20s or 30s, so it&rsquo;s important to maintain a bone-healthy diet, especially as you age.

Foods high in calcium

Most adults need between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium every day depending on age. If you want to get the best bang for your buck, try these foods:

You can also eat foods that are fortified with calcium, like orange juice, tofu and breakfast cereal.

What about vitamin D?

Vitamin D is measured in international units (IUs). Most adults should get between 600 and 800 IUs per day. Most foods don&rsquo;t contain much vitamin D, and the best source for vitamin D is actually sunlight. You only need about ten to 15 minutes of sun exposure a few times a week to reap the benefits. You can supplement your vitamin D intake with these foods:

Swordfish

Salmon:

Canned tuna

Fortified orange juice

Fortified milk

Eggs

Don&rsquo;t forget the &ldquo;iron&rdquo;

Exercise weights, that is. Weight-bearing exercise is another effective way to strengthen your bones. By challenging your bones with weight and gravity, they&rsquo;ll get stronger and thicker. Running, walking and resistance exercises like weight training are best for bone strength.

Disclaimer: Content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Vitamin D has long been touted for its benefits to bone health. But more and more research is showing a bigger role in health. Not only does Vitamin D help your body use calcium, regulate the immune system and ward off disease, but more and more research suggests D is a serious heart-helper.

In a study, adults who had the highest vitamin D levels had the lowest level of "cardiometabolic disorders" &mdash; the family of conditions that includes heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It&rsquo;s all thanks to D's ability to reduce oxidative stress &mdash; a physiological process thought to encourage aging and cell damage. D also may help decrease levels of parathyroid hormones that damage blood vessels. And if you have high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, or heart disease, getting enough D may be a safeguard against some of the damage that comes with those conditions.

New research is suggesting that vitamin D may help reduce a person's risk of dying from a stroke &mdash; by as much as 50 percent! And of course, finding out how to prevent a stroke naturally is always a plus.

More research is needed to confirm the link, but a Finnish study that followed about 6,000 people for more than 25 years showed that those with the highest D intake were significantly less likely to die of either stroke or heart disease, compared with the people with the lowest D intake. Those could be really big health benefits of vitamin D from one little pill.

Are you getting enough?

About 30-40 percent of people may be deficient in vitamin D. In a recent study, people who showed symptoms of vitamin D deficiency &mdash; such as bone pain and muscle weakness &mdash; had stiffer arteries and the cells that lined their arteries showed greater signs of dysfunction. But everything got better quickly &mdash; and their blood pressure improved, too! &mdash; once they got their D levels back to normal.

Anyone 60 or younger should get 1,000 international units (IU) per day. Up that amount to 1,200 IU daily if you're over 60 years of age. You've got three choices for reaping the benefits of vitamin D: sunlight, food and a supplement.

Disclaimer: Content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

According to The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a total of nine outbreaks (defined as 3 or more linked cases) have been reported so far in 2018. Recent media reports misinterpreted data issued by CDC surveillance teams stating a multi-state measles outbreak in the United States. Even though there is NO current multi-state measles outbreak in the United States, the measles is still common in many parts of the world. The number of reported cases in the U.S. in 2018 is similar to recent years and in expected range.

For parents who haven&rsquo;t gotten their kids vaccinated, here&rsquo;s a wakeup call: Most of the people infected were never vaccinated against the disease.

As of August 11, 2018, THE CDC reported that 124 individual cases of measles had been confirmed in 22 states and the District of Columbia.*

In 2014, cases reached a record high: 23 outbreaks and 644 cases. According to the CDC, measles was eliminated from the United States in 2000, largely thanks to the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine. However, with increased travel to places where the vaccine is not available -- and more parents opting not to vaccinate their kids -- the number of cases is on the rise.

&ldquo;Almost 1 in 5 children isn&rsquo;t vaccinated,&rdquo; says Anthony Komaroff, MD, of Harvard Medical School. &ldquo;This means every year children get severe illnesses and possibly even die from diseases that could have been prevented by a vaccine.&rdquo; According to Dr. Komaroff, some parents don&rsquo;t immunize their children because they think the diseases being prevented are not common enough to worry about. Or they&rsquo;re concerned about vaccine safety. But the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks. &ldquo;Infectious diseases are still widespread around the world,&rdquo; says Komaroff, and &ldquo;all vaccines are carefully studied before they are licensed for routine use.&rdquo;

The MMR vaccine is given in two shots, the first around the age of 12 to 15 months, the second around 4 or 5 years old.

According to the CDC, the symptoms of measles generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected. Measles typically begins with:

high fever

cough

runny nose (coryza)

red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis).

Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth.

Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body. When the rash appears, a person&rsquo;s fever may spike to more than 104&deg; Fahrenheit.

After a few days, the fever subsides and the rash fades.

Measles can also cause ear infections, bronchitis and pneumonia. However, the most serious complication is encephalitis, which can be life-threatening.

There is no way to cure measles once someone is infected. &ldquo;The only treatment centers around trying to lessen the severity of the disease and making your child as comfortable as possible,&rdquo; says the Honor Society of Nursing (STTI). STTI recommends using a humidifier to ease sore throat and coughing and giving acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever.

It&rsquo;s hard to imagine that any American could die from measles in 2018, but anyone who has not been vaccinated is at risk. The good news: The way to stop more outbreaks is just a shot or two away. Make sure you and your family are protected with MMR vaccine.

Disclaimer: Content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

We’ve all had a tummy ache. Or maybe you call it a bellyache or stomach ache. Whatever you call it, that pain in your gut is sometimes bad enough to make you wonder whether it’s time to go to the emergency room. You’re not alone; abdominal pain is a common issue for many people in our state – especially in women ages 18-64. In fact, it’s the No. 1 reason Utahns go the ER.

Abdominal pain can be linked to many, many causes, so it can be frustrating to figure out what’s causing that cramping, rumbling, grumbling or worse. Was it simply something you ate? Did you catch a stomach bug? Or, could that pain be a sign of a more serious problem?

Whether its appendicitis, diverticulitis, cramps, heartburn or last night’s dinner, there are many triggers that cause abdominal pain. Some symptoms mean you can safely tough it out at home or see your doctor soon. Others likely indicate that it’s best to see an ER physician fast.

When in doubt

So, we all know what a typical stomach ache feels like and we wonder, &quot;What’s going on in there&quest;&quot; But when the pain is uncommonly severe or persistent, and other symptoms are present, call your doctor’s office and schedule an appointment. When in doubt, have it checked out!

According to specialists at Timpanogos Regional Hospital, if you answer yes to any of the following questions, consider seeing a doctor about your abdominal pain:

Is the pain significant? Is it lasting for more than two days, more frequent or getting worse?

Or is the pain dull and lasting longer than a week?

Am I losing weight unexpectedly, or have I had no appetite for a long time?

Do I have a low fever, chills or sweats?

Are there unexplained symptoms, such as blurred vision, oral ulcers, rashes or easy bruising?

Is the color or shape of my stool suddenly different, or have I had diarrhea longer than three days

Is there bloating that lasts for more than two days (and not related to your menstrual cycle)

Is there blood in my stool (dark or black) or urine?

During your doctor’s appointment, make sure to talk about your symptoms in detail; how often they occur and if they’ve changed over time, as well as when they happen and where they are located. With more information, your physician will be better able to provide the care you need to ease your pain.

Listen to your gut

However, if the pain and symptoms you’re experiencing are severe, different from anything you’ve felt before or just worrisome to you, don’t second-guess yourself. ER doctors at Timpanogos Regional Hospital say, “Listen to your gut.” They recommend a trip to the ER whenever it feels like you need help right away.

Here are some guidelines that will help you decide whether or not you need emergency care for abdominal pain. These symptoms could be related to a serious, life-threatening condition – especially if they happen at the same time as the pain. That means you should get to an ER right away.

The next time you or a loved one experiences serious abdominal pain, the professionals in Timpanogos Regional Hospital’s Emergency Room are standing by to help. To find out the average ER wait time near you, text “ER” to 32222.

If you need help finding a primary care doctor or GI specialist, click here.

Study links mothers&rsquo; pesticide levels with autism in children

For years, scientists have been trying to understand autism spectrum disorders and the causes behind it.

Findings in a new study, published by The American Journal of Psychiatry (2018), state that elevated levels of DDE in pregnant women are associated with an increased risk of autism among their children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) as the breakdown product of the pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane); an insecticide used in agriculture that was banned in the United States in 1972, but can still be found in the food chain.

According to psychiatry.org, the new study evaluated levels of DDE in maternal serum samples drawn from more than 750 children with autism and matched control subjects from a national birth cohort study, the Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism. The odds of autism among children were significantly increased in mothers whose DDE levels were elevated (defined as the 75th percentile or greater). In addition, the odds of children having autism with intellectual disability were increased more than twofold with maternal DDE levels above this threshold. While these results indicate an association, they do not prove causation, although the findings persisted after controlling for confounding factors.

Authors of this study conclude that their findings &ldquo;provide the first biomarker-based evidence that maternal exposure to insecticides is associated with autism among offspring.&rdquo;

This study comes four years after research published in The New England Journal of Medicine (2014) added mounting evidence that autism could begin as early as the second trimester of pregnancy.

Researchers from the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine examined samples of brain tissue from 22 children who died, half of whom had been diagnosed with autism. The scientists found that 10 out of 11 children with autism showed patches of disrupted development in the neocortex, the region of the brain that controls comprehension, reasoning and language.

During the second trimester of pregnancy the cortex normally develops into six distinct layers, each made up of its own specialized brain cells. But in children with autism, the researchers saw patches in which the layers appeared jumbled and disorganized, or where certain cells were missing. Most of these patches were concentrated in areas of the brain that handle functions that are impaired by autism, such as language and understanding social cues.

Future treatment

Autism has no cure, but some children appear to improve as they get older, and early intervention with behavioral and speech therapies can help. The 2014 study could explain why. Because the researchers found the disorganized layers only in patches of the cortex, as opposed to covering the entire brain, they believe that the normal-appearing parts may be able to rewire themselves to take over for the affected patches. Still, much is unknown. The hope is that future studies will point to therapies that can help with that process.

Disclaimer: Content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

While you can’t control your genes, you can take care of your body. If you are between the ages of 45 and 50, add
getting a colorectal screening to your list of “must dos” for good preventive care. If you thought that test was several
years in your future, keep reading…

Many people believe that colorectal cancer only affects old people. It’s true that the risk escalates with aging, but a
surprising number of younger people are now losing their lives to this disease. That is why the new recommendation is to
get screened for colorectal cancer when you turn 45 – not 50.

In a new guideline, colorectal cancer screenings should start at age 45, per the American Cancer Society. This is the first time since 1997 that the guideline has changed. The recent update aims to save more young lives by finding colorectal cancer early or preventing it from happening at all.

From 0.5 to 1.3 percent per year for adults aged 40 to 54 years since the mid-90s

By 1 to 2.4 percent annually for adults 20 to 39 years through 2013

Mortality rates are now double for people born in 1990.

What is causing colorectal cancer rates to escalate among GenXers and Millennials? Several studies suggest that an
unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity are the likely culprits. Others found that high levels of insulin associated with obesity interfere with cells’ ability to control regulatory genes at the DNA level. This disruption is being linked to cancer in colon cells.

“Colorectal cancer typically has no symptoms until the disease has progressed and is much more difficult to treat," said
Michael Baumann, M.D., chief medical officer, MountainStar Healthcare. “If caught early, it has a 90 percent survival rate.
That’s why it’s so critical for adults to get over any qualms they may have about preventive screenings – and start getting
them after that 45th birthday.”

So, 45 it is! Not so fast… If one of your parents or siblings (first degree relative) was diagnosed with this disease or has a history of polyps, ask your doctor when to start colorectal screenings. Typically, the recommendation is 10 years younger than the age of the family member at diagnosis or at age 40, whichever comes first.

Screening options

Colorectal screenings can help doctors find the polyps that are often precursors of colon cancer. Here are the most
common types:

High-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT): The stool is tested for Should be done every year, if choosing this as an alternative to colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy: A flexible tube is inserted to check the rectum and last part of the colon. Should be done every five years.

Colonoscopy: A flexible tube is inserted into the colon and rectum. If polyps are found, they are normally removed and tested. Should be done every 10 years.

Prevention until you turn 45

So you youngsters out there, you may only be in your 40, 30s and 20s, but it’s time to pay attention to your eating habits
and how much physical activity you’re getting every day. It may be hard to believe, but 70 percent of colon cancer cases
can be avoided with diet and lifestyle changes. Being physically active and eating right has proven to decrease the risk of
colorectal cancer by 40 to 50 percent.

Here are some other preventive steps you can take to lower your risk of colon cancer:

Limit alcoholic beverages; no more than two drinks daily for men and one for women

Unfortunately, many people put off the screening process for fear that it will be uncomfortable and lengthy. Don&rsquo;t be one of those people! Once you&rsquo;ve finished prepping, the actual procedure is short and usually painless. If you&rsquo;re a typical &ldquo;advice-seeking&rdquo; millennial, this article tackles 30 myths about the prep, the screening and the cancer. If it&rsquo;s time to schedule a colonoscopy, view a list of our specialists or call (801) 715-4152 to schedule an appointment with a physician.

Celebrating nurses across HCA Healthcare

Every day, nurses care for patients with compassion and purpose. This week, Timpanogos Regional Hospital and HCA Healthcare celebrate our nurses for their unyielding service and tireless dedication to improving lives and delivering excellent care to patients.

At HCA, nursing is the differentiator, and our community of nurses helps make us strong. As HCA celebrates its golden anniversary, we reflect on the fact that in 1968, a small group of caring nurses were the foundation for what is now a vast community. In 2018, the HCA nursing community is 87,000 strong across the country and the United Kingdom.

HCA nurses across the company are true professionals, colleagues, team members, advocates and caregivers. In this video, we celebrate and honor the nurses who deliver the kind of care that never is timeless.

Every year, National Hospital Week provides an opportunity to celebrate all our Timpanogos Regional Hospital teammates who are crucial to providing the best patient care and enacting our mission. This year, Hospital Week is observed from Sunday, May 6 through Saturday, May 12.

For our parent company, HCA Healthcare, Hospital Week is especially meaningful this year because 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of HCA&rsquo;s establishment in 1968. The organization began with a single hospital, Park View Hospital in Tennessee, and now is 179 hospitals strong. That scale enables HCA hospitals to develop and share best practices and operational efficiencies, all for the benefit of our patients.

&ldquo;During Hospital Week, we celebrate our HCA physicians, nurses and employees, who carry on that vision that was first enacted at Park View Hospital, and is now a part of our enduring legacy,&rdquo; says Milton Johnson, chairman and CEO of HCA Healthcare.